1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to heating systems and more specifically to a heating system using microwave energy as a source of heat.
2. Prior Art
Heating Systems using microwave energy produced by a magnetron are known. The Moreti patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,310,738 teaches a heating furnace to heat a fluid. The use of an insulated chamber with a circuitous flow path and a magnetron are taught. A system for heating both domestic hot water and heating a building are not taught.
The Pinkstaff patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,284,869 describes a hot water heater using three magnetrons. The water progresses from the bottom of a tank to the top of the tank. The tank is divided into three sections. In each section the domestic hot water is heated to a still higher temperature. Pinkstaff describes the direct heating of the domestic hot water but does not pertain to a system that heats a building or a two-stage domestic hot water heater.
The Brown patent, U.S. Pat. No. 3,891,817, teaches a system for heating a building using microwave heat. The Brown patent teaches the direct heating of a fluid and not the use of both a primary fluid to heat a secondary fluid. According to the Brown patent, the heated fluild passes by means of a pump from a container where it is heated to a tank. From the tank the fluid passes to a heat exchanger. A bypass permits the fluid returning from the heat exchanger to return to the tank and bypass the container and the microwave heat source. The bypass is controlled by a temperature container and the microwave heat source. The bypass is controlled by a temperature sensor in the tank.
Microwave energy produces economical and energy saving heat. A system which uses microwave energy to provide domestic hot water as well as heat ro a building to provide a heating system that is energy conserving and economical. The use of a medium, which is a heat conductive fluid, increases the efficiency of the system but can cause concerns about the contamination.